Be still III

“Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:38-39‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How many times have you been in a situation and thought that God left you? How many times have you felt that you prayed and prayed and Felt that God just wasn’t listening? Every word that you uttered just felt like God had turned his head. You talk to God and did what you thought was right and God was just silent. It’s hard to talk to someone and tell them something important and you just can see or feel that they are not listening. Almost as if God had told you to hold on and he just started to bless everyone else around you and forgot all about little olé you.

HERE IT IS…

Well here in this story in Mark we see Jesus is sleep on the boat and the storm arises and the disciples wake him up in fear. I know that the son of God is on the boat and they are still going frantic. Jesus jumps up looks out over the boat and tells the wind, rain and the waves to be still. I asked this question, who was Jesus really talking to when he said to the wind, rain and waves to be still? Truth of the matter is that sometimes when we get so frantic and upset and scared we tend to make things worse than what they really are. KJV says he said peace be still. May I give you this, maybe the storms in your life that you want God to speak to just like he did here may not be for your storms, but for you. Could it be that God was telling you to be still and just as he said that it calmed you down in which made you stop stirring things up? Sometimes in your storms of life you just have to be still in the midst of those great storms so that they don’t get worst. Be still.

Be still II

“But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.””

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭14:13-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I was told a story of my Uncle who is a cowboy who raised a bull from birth. Just like with any other pet you learn the animal and they learn you. My uncle has this bull trained to do certain things. His friends were so intrigued to see this bull that he had as a pet. They came over to see this pet bull. He took them out and stood by his fence and they didn’t see the bull. My uncle whistles and stood there. All of a sudden you here pounding in the ground growing closer and this bull came running full force towards the fence and his friends saw the bull coming and ran. While my uncle stood there. As the bull approached the fence he stopped right in front of my uncle and he turned around and his friends had ran away.

HERE IT IS…

Just like Moses told the children of Israel that because of who God is even though there is a sea in front of us and and army behind us, if we just be still God will make a way for us. We have to stop running when we see trouble headed for us. We have to stop trying to get out of the way. If we truly believe that “No weapon formed against us will prosper”. His peace is greater. His protection is amazing. His hand that covers us will not allow anything to happen to us. He has you covered and all you have to do is just stand and be still. Even though its rushing towards you stand there with the confidence that God is with you and it has to stop according to the power of God within you. Be still.

Be still

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Remember when you were a child and you were in trouble for doing something, or doing to much of something. When your parents would say to you “go sit down and be still.” I remember I was such a busy body sometimes that my mom would make me sit in one spot in a store and tell me dont move. This was in the time where other people wouldn’t call the social services on you. She did that so that she could finish what she was doing without distraction. What I realized is that even though I was in a big store and sitting in one spot, I couldn’t see my mom but she could see me. I couldn’t hear her but she could hear me. When I moved or looked around to see her so I could do something I would hear this voice from no where that said” WHAT DID I TELL YOU TO DO?”

HERE IT IS…

Sometimes we can get in Gods way of doing things for us that he will have to be parental with us and tell us to sit down and be still. Old folks said, “get somewhere and sat down!” A lot of the times we get in the way of God because we are trying to play God. We are so busy trying to make things happen for ourselves that we start to get in Gods way and almost or mess up what he had planned for us. There will be a time when God will have to tell you that you are doing to much. A time where God will have to put you in a corner and just because you can see him moving he can still see you. He can still hear you. Be still and let God move.

Be prepared 5

“Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”

‭‭Jonah‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I remember watching a show on TV about how there are still countries that arrange marriages for they’re family members. Even though we look at the process and the act of this as a despicable way, I looked at it in a different way. Even though I am certain that I would not want that to happen to me it’s basically what happens in our culture. Things are arranged for us through our up bringing and what we see around us. We choose based on what we have seen good or bad. We don’t want our spouse to be like this or that because someone else’s spouse was mean or abusive. We look at how others are treated and make our choice from that.

HERE IT IS…

In your life God prepares you for things by arranging things in your life a certain way. When I look at the story of Jonah I see here that it is said God ARRANGED for a great fish to swallow Jonah and he was there for 3 days. See sometimes God will arrange for you to be in certain things for a certain period of time for what’s to come. God so orchestrates things to prepare you for what’s to come. Take a look back and see how God arranged some things in your life to get you to the place, the mindset, and heart condition your in now. Your preparation comes with an arrangement order. Be prepared.

Be prepared 4

“You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One of my favorite holidays is thanksgiving. It’s funny, because when people ask me my favorite food I say thanksgiving. Because all the food and desserts that are spread on the table. Food for days. I mean just the type of food that we eat is amazing. How after weeks of preparing. The 24 hours of a turkey thawing out. The hours that go into preparing the food to see it all come out and be amazing when consumed makes my heart glad. When I think back to when my mom cooked to now seeing my wife prepare thanksgiving and the energy and love that goes into it marvels my mind. To be able to sit and eat to my hearts desire, or I’m full.

HERE IT IS…

In the same way as we do on thanksgiving, think about what goes into God preparing a feast in front of your enemies. As I look at this verse of psalms it talks of preparing a feast in front of your enemies. In my estimations and what I deduce from the scripture is that I don’t think God was only talking about food. He will prepare a feast of praise in front of your enemies. He will prepare a table of worship, of opportunity, a table of forgiveness. God will prepare a table in front of your enemies where they must watch you succeed. And as he does that the enemy will have to sit and watch you eat and pick what you want. Be prepared.

Be prepared 3

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When you think about a masterpiece our minds immediately go to something in a artistic context. Because we start to think of old paintings that we have been told is a masterpiece. Leonardo Di’Vinci and Vangough, and other painters. But we didn’t know they were a masterpiece until someone told us they were. We learned that they were a masterpiece. We read it was a masterpiece we were shown it was a masterpiece. When we look at the paintings we see that it was things in it that we had never seen before. We see it and tbecause we are told about them we see how great it is.

HERE IT IS…

All the things that are created masterpieces are things that are old and apart of history. But thanks be to God that he has done something for us we have now. The scripture says that he created us ANEW. We are his masterpiece through Jesus and it’s something in us that had never been seen. Never been used. Never been thought of. He has something inside of you that he prepared just for you. See, not only are we to be prepared, but God has prepared something in and for us. He created a masterpiece in you. How? Because the Bible tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. He created me and you for such a time as this. Be prepared

Be prepared 2

“So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:13-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The definition of preparation is : the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration. How awesome is this definition of the word preparation? What’s even more amazing is that it is not, by definition, a verb as an action word but it is a noun. A person, place, or thing. So by definition it’s something that you do to something. We get our house prepared for guest. We get our children prepared for school. We get prepared for work. How many of us can say that we get prepared to be used by God in a daily basis? Do you wake up early in the morning and prepare for the day as what God wants you to do, or what you have to do?

HERE IT IS…

We should get prepared to be used by God First before anything else. When you get prepared for how God is going to use you, you will be prepared for everything else that may try to come your way. God will enlighten you on what is going to come your way and tell you how to deal with the kids. How to deal with the spouse. How to deal with that coworker. Preparation is not just for what you have to do for the day. He will prepare you for what will come in the day. Prepare your mind as the scripture says so that you will be easy and know just how to move. Because when your mind is stayed on Jesus he will be able to navigate you through it. Be prepared.

Be prepared

““Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them.”

‭‭Ezekiel‬ ‭38:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the spirit of the movie the lion king I am reminded of a song that the character Scar did in the animated film. The song was called Be Prepared. In this he had devised a plan to over throw Mufasa and his kingship by killing him. He was talking to the Hyenas and telling them to be prepared for what’s to come. Be ready to move. Be prepared to strike. Be prepared for what’s about to happen. Even though in the movie he was moving in a dishonorable fashion to kill his brother. The song and its chorus got to me.

HERE IT IS…

What is God taking you through that’s preparing you for what’s to come? What have you seen that he has had you encounter to prepare you for what’s to come? God is a God of order. What he does is not for happenstance. He does everything for a reason. Your past, your current situation, your job, your problems is all preparing you for what he has for you. Be prepared, be ready in season and out of season. Just like he told them in the scripture. God is telling you to be prepared because what I have for you is on it’s way. Be Prepared.

Get there and be patient

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

‭‭James‬ ‭5:7-8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I have noticed in the past few months that whenever me and my nephson is somewhere close to me he tried to make sure he slipped in that he wanted to come to my house. Even though there were times he would come over and it would be raining. Or he would come over and it may have been not the best conditions to ride his bike he would still be where his bike was just in case he had the opportunity. Even though he didn’t reach the place where he is now, he still made sure he was there. In his patience and endurance he was able to get to place of riding his bike by himself.

HERE IT IS…

Some of us want to just arrive at the place where God wants us without having to be patient and going through. By his consistency he was able to get to my house and learn to ride his bike. I am just trying to encourage someone to know that if you can just get to his presence and be patient in knowing that it’s coming you will see the fruits of your sacrifice and endurance. Just like the farmers in the text have to wait for the harvest. So do we have to wait until everything has matured in us and grown to place of being where God wants us. Just get in the presence of God and watch his spirit move.

Pick God

“For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind.”

‭‭James‬ ‭1:3-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If you have seen the trend in this story about my nephson you will see that he wanted to have different people help him at different points of the is time of riding his bike. While I was in the house he was fine riding his bike and being helped by my daughter and sister. And as I came out and helped him he felt he had it and wanted someone else to help him. And if he wasn’t able to get his Aunt he wanted my daughter. He did not want me to help because I would let him go.

HERE IT IS…

That’s just amazing how that sounds so much like us when dealing with God. We ask and pray and plead for Gods help and then once WE feel like we have it we try to go to different people to help us in ways that God already did it. We have to come to a place that we fully rely and depend on God. We ask God to help but we don’t take our hands off of it fully because we get comfortable. God is waiting on you to release those things fully so he can get you where he needs you. Stop going back and forth between people. Go to God and stay there.